The Town Files

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Charter township in Washtenaw County · population 4,673 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ann Arbor is in MichiganAnn Arbor
Median home
$659,400
Household income
$164,875
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 84°
Snow a year
61 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
18
Median age
48.5

Ann Arbor is a charter township of 4,673 people in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The median home is worth $659,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 100% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 99% of Michigan towns.

Ann Arbor in our rankings:

How Ann Arbor ranks

Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.

Ann Arbor lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement98th pctFamilies51st pctQuiet19th pctWalkability70th pctFirst-time buyers41st pctYoung professionals99th pctVibrancy76th pctHip & trendy80th pctCollege town58th pctUpscale99th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling72nd pctTransit100th pctDriving3rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Ann Arbor is worth $659,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $164,875, which is more affordable than 7% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,933 a month. 65.7% of households own their home.

Ann Arbor vs Washtenaw County vs typical Michigan townAnn ArborWashtenaw CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$659,400$374,100$193,900Household income$164,875$89,180$69,792Monthly rent$1,933$1,463$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingAnn ArborTypical Michigan town
Median home value$659,400$193,900
Median rent$1,933$955
Median household income$164,875$69,792
Home value ÷ income4.0×2.8×
Homeownership65.7%86.8%
Median year built19891975
Seasonal / vacation homes2.3%—

Who lives in Ann Arbor

PeopleAnn ArborTypical Michigan town
Median age48.543.7
Age 65 and over27.9%20.7%
Under 1819.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher85.9%21.5%
Below the poverty line7.2%10.4%
Veterans5.3%—
Born outside the U.S.27.3%—
Work from home24.4%9.1%
Average commute21.3 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband98.5%88.8%

Weather in Ann Arbor

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.4 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.

Ann Arbor monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing32°16°Jan35°18°Feb46°25°Mar60°36°Apr71°47°May80°56°Jun84°60°Jul82°59°Aug75°52°Sep62°41°Oct48°31°Nov36°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.018.32.515.32.88.33.42.63.83.93.53.53.23.00.12.84.12.812.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Ann Arbor U Of Mich station (2.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ann Arbor since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 15, 2012 about 8.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 15, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ann Arbor by decade21950s11960s21970s51980s21990s32000s12010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 15, 2012.

Severe weather in Washtenaw County since 1996

Storm events in Washtenaw County since 1996 by typeHail224Heat14Flood21Tornado7High Wind39Lightning21Heavy Snow35Flash Flood17
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washtenaw County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Washtenaw County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
July 15, 2021Severe StormDR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County had 217,948 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,298 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Ann Arbor itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.

Largest industries in Washtenaw CountyHealth care & social assistan…28,273 jobs · $68,948Professional & technical serv…17,908 jobs · $117,607Retail15,024 jobs · $40,670Hotels & restaurants13,791 jobs · $27,829Manufacturing11,602 jobs · $83,431Administrative & support7,195 jobs · $50,748
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washtenaw County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Washtenaw 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Ann Arbor

3 public schools with 1,561 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Clague Middle School6-866116.1
Thurston Elementary SchoolK-552613.2
Logan Elementary SchoolK-537412.9

Towns near Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor questions

Is Ann Arbor, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ann Arbor scores better for retirees than 98% of Michigan towns and quieter than 19%. 27.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).

How much does a house cost in Ann Arbor?

The median owner-occupied home in Ann Arbor is valued at $659,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $164,875, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,933 a month.

What is the weather like in Ann Arbor?

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 61.4 inches of snow.

Does Ann Arbor get tornadoes?

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ann Arbor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 15, 2012. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ann Arbor's Census boundary (GEOID 2616103020). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.